Finnish residents protest against immigration over teenager girl rape

About 200 residents gathered on Saturday in Kempele, northwest Finland, to protest against the government's immigration policy.

The protest took place days after a 14-year-old girl was raped in Kempele on Monday night. A 17-year-old asylum seeker was suspected to be the perpetrator.

"Finland belongs to Finns", was one of the common slogans used by the protesters in downtown Kempele.

One of the organizers told the Finnish commercial television broadcaster MTV that the aim of the protest is to provoke discussions on whether or not refugees should be accommodated in Finland.

He added that expressing opinions is important, no matter whether the demonstration will exert influence or not.

Police have monitored the whole process of the rally with a few patrol forces. The protest went peacefully.

According to Finnish daily Iltalehti, underage asylum seekers living in a refugee reception center in Kempele were relocated on Friday night, due to the planned demonstration.

Following the rape in Kempele, another 14-year-old girl was raped on Tuesday in Raisio, southern Finland. A 19-year-old refugee was detained on suspicion of rape and aggravated sexual abuse of a child.

According to information obtained by the Finnish police, there have been about ten similar cases, in which alleged offenders are asylum seekers in Finland.

Finnish Minister of Interior Petteri Orpo said later on Friday that Finland will close those refugee reception centers, which are located too far away in terms of police operations, from the standpoint of security. Endit